Switch.



E. R. JOHNSON & H. H. MURRAY.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED nov. 4. 1912.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916' 3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

' INVEIYTORS EMF/ 6 5. 617,450: firenrgyfl z'wy WITNESSES ATTQWNEJV E. R- JOHNSON-81 H.-H. MURRAY.

SWITCH.

APPLlCATiON FILED NOV. 4. 1912.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

. I N VE N TO R5 Ekmq IZ/O/wm'azz flew/ Hm I ATTbR/VEY WITNESSES E. R. JOHNSON & H. H, MURRAY.

SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 4, 1912.

Patented Sept. 5, 1916.

3 $HEETSSHEET 3.

INVEN TOPS qefiJu uwa/a fi e/my /@W4 W A Tr: 'fNEY H Mazwa VII'I 'NESSES4 hurrah r rarer ELDBIDGE lid/JOHNSON, O1? MEBIUN, ENNSYLVANIAQAND EENRY H. MURRAY, 61' RIVERTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOBF: 'IO VICTOR TALKING- MACHIFE CUMPAHZ, A.

GOBIOILATION 01? NEW} siviren.

Specification of Letters Eatent.

Patented dept, 5, itltfi.

Application filed November 4, 1912. Serial No. 7285248.

To all 212 ham it 13mg concern Be it known that we, Ennnmsn R. JOHN- SON and HENRY H. MURRAY, both citizens of the United States, and residents of Merion, county of Montgomery, and State of Pennsylvania, and Riverton, county of Bur-lington, and State of New Jersey, respectively, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Switches, of which the following is a specification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide, in a talking machine actuated an electric motor, animproved automatlc switch mechanism for controlling the operation of the motor; to provide an improved automatic electric switch; and to provide other improvements as will appear hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a fragmentary top plan view of a talking machine provided with an automatic switch constructed in accordance with this inven tion, the switch being shown as it appears closed and the talking machine in opera-- tion; Fig. 3 is a fragmentary vertical section on the line 33 of Fig. 2, and Fig. i is a horizontal section on the line 4L4: of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows and showing only a. part of the device.

Referring to the drawings, one embodiment of this invention comprises a talking machine including the usual or any suitable cabinet 5, spaced above which is a horizontal rotary disk record support 6, which is mounted to be rotated about a fixed vertical axis by an electric motor (not shown) preferably arranged within the cabinet 5. The turntable (3 is provided with a marginal cylindrical rim 6', projecting downwardly therefrom and preferably integral there with, which acts as a shield to protect the automatic switch mechanism as will appear hereinafter.

Upon the record support 6 is a sound record 7, provided as usual with a spiral groove 8 of uniform depth and in the form of lateral undulations corresponding to sound waves. This record may be such as is ordinarily used on talking machines of the class vention, an improved record is preferred ner end of the spiral undulatory groove 8Q This concentric circular groove 9 is preterably made slightly more noticeable than the spiral groove, by being made deeper or Wider, or both deeper and wider than the spiral groove.

Above the record 7 isthe usual or any suitable sound box 10 which is connected to the smaller end of a tapering tone arm 11 to swing with respectto the tone arm toward and away from the record, and to swing with'the tone arm across the record, the tone arm being pivoted at its larger end to swing in a fixed plane about a vertical axis. The sound box 10 is provided with the usual or any. suitable stylus 12, arranged to engage in the spiral undulatory groove 8 for reproducing sound and for feeding or pro polling the sound box across the record.

For starting or stopping the rotation of 1, and mainly beneath the record support.

This switch comprises a base plate 15, which is secured by screws 16, or otherwise, to the top of the cabinet beneath the record support. Superimposed upon the base plate 15 is a switch lever 17, which is mounted to oscillate about a vertical fixed pivot 18, extending tightly through an; aperture provided therefor in the base plate, a washer 19 being preferably interposed around the pivot 18, between and in contact with the switch lever and the base plate, and the pivot, being provided above the switch lever with the head 20 having a flat under surface which engages against the upper surfaceot the switch lever tohold the switch 'lever rotatably in position. The s itch lever 17 extends from the pivot 18 outwardly beneaththe flange 6 of the record support,

support and forminga handle 2?.

For holding thestlitch lever 17 in, a closed or operativeposition, a latch 30 is mounted at one and upon a sleeve hwhich v1s otatably mounted on a vertical pivot '32 th, lower end of which is rigidly secured the base plate 15, and the upper end of.

- 35', provided thereforin the switch lever l7 adjacent its pivot 18, and the arrangement is such'that when the tooth 35 is in the notch 35, the switchlever 17 is held in a closed or operative position, as will appear hereinafter.

For performing the double function of holding the tooth 35 of the latch 30 in engagement with the notch 35 .of the switch lever 17 {and of swinging the switch lever 17 anti-clockwise into an open or inoperative position when the latch 30 is released from engagement with the switch lever 17, a spiral spring 40 or other resilient or yielding means, issecured at one end to a' lug 4i projecting upwardly from, andpreferably integral with the latch 30, and at its other end to a lug 42, projecting upwardly from and preferably integral with the switch lever 17. These lugs 4:1 and 42 are so positioned that when. thetooth 35 is in engagement with its notch 35', as shown in Fig. 2, the line of action of the spiral spring 40 is spaced slightly in front of the tooth 35, and is nearly radial with respect to the axis of oscillation of the latch 15, the line of action of, the spring preferably. being spaced slightly away from this axis of oscillation and spaced between this axis and the tooth 35. In this position the spring acts to hold the tooth 35 in engagement in its notch 35', but with only a relatively slight force. When the'tooth 35 is thrown out of engage ment with the notch 35, by swinging the latch 30 for a short distance anti-clockwise, the spring will act effectively to rotate the switch lever 17 anti-clockwise into an inoperative position resting against the free end of the'latch 30,. as shown in Fig. 1. In the latter position the spring 40 acts to hold the'rear edge of the free end of the latch 30 lightly in engagement with a stop 45 provided therefor, and projecting upwardly from, and preferably integral with, the base plate 15, and maintains the tooth 35 insuch a position that only a slight oscillation is necessary to bring it into operative engagemerit in the notch 35. When the tooth is in engagement with-its notch 35, it may be released .or thrown out of engagement at any time by a slightpressure anti-clockwise, exerted manually -or -otherwise upon the switch lever' 17, the outer side edge of the tooth and the corresponding wall of the notch 35 being inclined in a suitable direction to produce this-effect; and when the tooth 35 is out of engagement with its notch,

and in its normal inoperativeposition as ing end of the arm 50.

ment in the notch against any pressure that may be applied clockwise to the switch lever 17. l I

For automatically releasing the latch 30 from engagement with the switch lever 17, an arm 50 is mounted at one end upon the sleeve 31 and projects from. the sleeve rearwardly, and terminates in the rear'of the margin of the turntable 6 in a bifurcated end forming two fingers, 51- and 52. The inner end of one, 51, of these fingers. is arranged to be engaged and actuated by tlie lower end of a vertical stud 53, which is rigidly-secured at its upper end to the under side of the tone arm 11. The other finger, 52, of the arm 50 is preferably provided at its outer end with an upwardly extending stud 54 in the form of a handle, for the con venient manual operation oradjustment of the arm 50.

To transmit motion from the arm 50 to the latch 30, and at the same time to permit of the adjustment of the arm 50 rotatably with respect to the latch 30, .to bring the finger 51, into position to be engaged by the stud at any desired position, the arm 50 and the latch 30 are preferably yieldingly clamped in predetermined relationship by means of a yielding split washer or U- shaped spring clip 55, made of spring steel, 0; other suitable material. The spring clip 55, when in operative position, partially. surrounds the sleeve 31 coaxial therewith, and

engages against and is held in position by the walls of an annular groove 56, provided therefor in the sleeve 31. This clip is normally in contact with and presses downwardly against the upper surface of the corresponding end of the latch 30, which-is preferably arranged above the correspond- A washer 57 of fiber, or other suitable material is preferably interposed around the sleeve 31 between the adjacent ends of the latch 30 and the arm 50, and a corresponding washer 58 is interposed around the sleeve 31 and between the under surface of the corresponding end of the arm 50 and an annular flange 59 which projects outwardly from the lower end of the sleeve 31, preferably integral therewith. The arm 50, the latch 30, and the washers 57 and 58 are preferably rotatable with respec-t to the sleeve" 31, but are normally clamped in predetermined positions with respect to the sleeve by the spring clip 55 with a force sufficient to hold these parts in fixed relationship under the action of the nuance? e record. groove. The arm 50 may, however, be rotated manually with respect to thesleeve 31, and the latch 30, by exerting-a force on the handle 54, slightly in excess of the force exerted by the tone arm in cooperating with the brake. 4

Arranged beneath and depending from the base plate coaxial with the pivot 18, is an electric switch, comprising a fiat circular horizontal base 60, of fiber or other insulating material, the upper surface of which is provided centrally with a cylindrical recess 61, in which snugly fits the lower end of the pivot 18. This base is provided on its upper side with a marginal annular recess 62, in which tightly fits the lower edge of a vertical cylindrical casing (33, the upper edge of which engages against the under surface of the base plate 15, the base and the casing 63 forming an inclosure for containing the movable parts of the switch, the inclosure being clamped against the under surface of the base plate 15 by means of screws er extending upwardly through the base 60 and threaded into the base plate 15. A cylindrical lining oft fiber or other suitable non-conducting material is arranged in the casing 63 in contact with its inner surface and extending from the upper surface of the base 60 to the under surface of the base plate 15.

Projecting through the base 60 are two metal binding vposts and 71 which have transversely rectangular portions which fit snugly in rectangular recesses 7 2 and 7 3, re spcctively, provided therefor in the upper side of the base 60. The lower end of each of these posts 70 and 71 is reduced and cylindrical in transverse section, and is riveted over the under side of a washer 75 which is mounted upon the cylindrical end and in.

contact with the under side of the base 60 to hold the post in fixed position vertically. A binding screw 76 is threaded into the lower end of each post 70 and 7l for the usual purpose of clamping one end of a wire or flexible conductor in place. The upper ends of the two binding posts 70 and 71 are flattened and bent horizontally-to form two diametrically opposed stationary contacts 77.

Surrounding the pivot 18 coaxial therewith, is a rotatable switch member, comprising four superimposed plates 78, 79, and 81, which are clamped together by means of vertical rivets 82, the top plate 78 and the bottom plate 81 being spaced and insulated from the intermediate plates, 79 and 80, by

means of washers 83, of insulating material,

surrounding the rivets 82, the intermediate plates 79 and 80 being provided with suitable apertures to keep these intermediate plates out of contact with, and insulated from, the rivets 82 and the pivot 18. These intermediate plates are made of spring brass or otherresilient conducting means, and are tacts arranged to embrace and cooperate in the usual manner with the stationary contacts 7 7 of the switch. The bifurcated con- 4 tacts 84 are held against movement longitudinally of the pivot 18 by means of suitable washers 85 and 8,6 surrounding the pivot 18 between the top plate 78 and the under surface of the base plate 15 and between the bottom plate 81 and the upper surface of the base 60, respectively. For rotating the bifurcated contacts 84 of the switch, the top plate 7 8is provided with a vertical extension 87 which projects loosely through a segmental slot 88 in the base plate 15 and concentric with the pivot 18, and engages snugly in a recess 89 provided there}- for in an extension of the switch lever 17.

To provide a suitable protection for the binding screws 76, there is provided an outer cylindrical switchcasing 90 of metal,

which telescopes snugly around the cylindrical inner casing 63 and which extends snugly through a cylindrical aperture pro vided therefor in the cabinet. The lower end of this outer casing is closed as at 91, and spaced beneath the insulating base 60. The inner surface of the outer casing 90 may be provided beneath the insulating base 60 with a suitable lining 92 of fiber or other insulating material, and the lower end 91 of the-outer casing is provided with two insulating bushings 93, to form insulated openings.

v A flexible electric conductor 94, extends from one binding post 70 through one of the bushings 93 to the motor for actuating the 1 record support 6, and a flexible electric conductor 95, extends from the other binding post 7l through the other bushing 93 to a source of electric current. (not shown), from the motor to the source of electric current, completes the motor circuit.

It is thought that in view of the foregoing description, a detailed statement of the op eration of this invention is not necessary, but as a brief summary, it may be said that in the operation of a talking machine c0n-' A return wire structed in accordancewith this invention,

after the sound record has been placed upon the record support and while the switch is in its open or inoperative position, as shown in Fig. l, the sound box is moved manually to bring the stylus into engagement with the circular groove 9, at the inner end of the u dulatory spiral groove and the arm 50 is rotated, if necessary, to bring it into engagement withthe stud 53, the stud being arranged between the two fingers 51 and. 52. The sound box is then lifted and the talking machine is then started in the usual way by rotating the handle 27 of the switch lever clockwise until the tooth 35 "is drawn into ing the tooth engagement with its notch 35, thus closing the switch and holding the switch in closed I position to actuate the motor for rotating the turntable. After the turntable has reached its normal speed, the stylus is low cred into position at the beginning of the spiral undulatory groove adjacent the margin of the record, and the sound box is then carried automatically across the record, reproducing the sounds recorded thereon, until the stylus has,nearly reached the inner end of the spiral undulatory groove and has brought the stud 53 carried by the tone arm into engagement against the finger 51. The stylus continuing its movement across the record from this point, now rotates the finger 51 anti-clockwise, carrying with it the armbO and the latch 30, thus disengagfrom its notch 35 and releasing the switch lever 111 the actual release of the switch lever 17 occurring just as the stylus is about to leave the spiral groove and enter the circular groove 9. The switch lever 17 is thus automatically caused to open the switch, and the current being thus cut' off from the motor, the turntable but not too abruptly, comes to a The switch lever 17 may also as herequickly, state of rest. be operated manually at any time,

inbcforenoted, to open or close the switch,

single form has been Although only a illustrated in which this invention may be embodied, the invention is not. limited to the specific construction shown, but may be embodied in various forms without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims. 7

Having thus described. our invention, we claim: I

1. In an automatic switch mechanism, the combination with a rotary element, of an element movable with respect to said rotary element, an electric switch, a movable retaining member for holding said switch in operative position, yielding means connecting said switch to said retaining member, means actuated by the movement of said second mentioned element for automatically releasingsaid retaining member from said switch.

2. In an automatic switch niechanisnnthe combination with a rotary element, of an element movable with respect to said rotary element, a movable switch member movable about a fixed axis, a retaining member mounted to oscillate about a fixed axis spaced from said first-mentioned axis and arranged toengage said, switch member, yielding means connecting said switch memher and said retaining member, means adjustable with respect to said retaining memher and with which said second mentioned element engages to release said retaining member from sud switch member.

3. in anautomatic switch. zncchanism,thc

" ing member,

e iam-eccombination with an electric switch mem ber mounted to oscillate about a fixed axis, of a retaining member mounted to oscillate about a fixed axis and arranged tohold said switch member in an operative position, yielding means connecting said switch memher and said retaining member and operative to move said switch member into an inoperative position upon being released by said retaining member, a releasing member arranged to more coaxially with said retaining member and either in unisontherewith or independently thereof, and a mdvable element arranged to engage said releasing member to move said retaining member to release said switch member and to permit the same to be moved into inoperative position.

4. In an automatic switch mechanism the combination with an electric switch member mounted to oscillate about a fixed axis, of a retaining member mounted, to oscillate about a fixed axis parallel to said first mentioned axis and arranged to hold said switch member in an operative position, yielding means connecting said switch member and said retaining member and acting in a direction substantially radial with respect to said axis of said retaining member when said switch member is in an operative position, and acting to rotate said switch member into an inoperative position upon being released by said retaining member, releasing means arranged to swing in unison with said retaining member for actuating said retainand movable means arranged. to engage said releasing means for actuating the same to release said switch member to permit the same to-be'moved by said yield ing means into an inoperative position.-

5, In an automatic switch mechanism, thd combination with a movable electric switch member, of a movable retaining member arranged to hold saidaswitch in an operative position, yielding means connected to said switch member and tending to move said switch member to an inoperative position, a movable element, and means frictionallv engaging said retaining member and extend ing into the path of said. movable element to transmit motion from said movable element to said retaining member upon the engagement of said movable element with said last mentioned means and by which said last mentioned means may be set todifferent positions with respect to said retaining member and with respect to said movable element.

61 In an automatic switch mechanism the combination witlrc movable electric switch member, of a movable retaining member arranged to hold said switch in an operative position, yielding means connecting said switch member and sziid retaining member, and means arranged to actuate said retainien/nee ing member to release said switch member and to permit the same to ,bemoved into an inoperative position by said yielding means, said last-named means comprising a member arranged to move either in unison with said reta ning member or independently thereof, and movable means arranged to engage the same to actuate the same.

7. In an automatic switch mechanism, the combination with a base plate, of an electrio switch lever mounted upon one side of said base plate to oscillate with respect thereto about a fixed axis, an electric switch member mounted on the other side of said plate and rotatable coaxially with said lever, means spaced. from said aXis and connecting said lever and said member, a movable retaining member arranged to hold said lever in an operative position, yielding means connecting said switch lever and said retaining member and means for actuating said retaining member to release said switch lever to permit the same to be moved into an inoperative position by said yielding means.

8. In an automatic switch mechanism the combination with a base plate, of an electrio switch lever mounted upon one side of said base plate to oscillate with respect thereto about a fixed axis, an electric switch member mounted on the other side of said plate and rotatable coaXially with said lever, means spaced. from said axis and connecting said lever and said membena movable retaini'ng member arranged to hold said lever in an operative position, yielding means connecting said switch lever and said retaining member, means for actuating said,

retaining member to release said switch lever to permit the same to be moved into an inoperative position by said yielding means, said last-named means comprising a releasing member movable either in unison with or independently of said retaining member and movable means arranged to engage said releasing means to actuate the same.

9. In an automatic switch mechanism the combination with a base plate, of a, pivot extending therethrough, a switch lever upon one side of said plate and mounted to oscillate about said. pivot, a switch member arranged upon the other side of said plate and mounted to oscillate about said pivot, means spaced from saidpivot and connecting said lever and said member, a retaining member arranged to hold said lever in an operative position, yielding means connecting said switch lever and said retaining member, and operative to move said switch lever from an inoperative into an operative position upon being released by said retaining member, and means for actuating said retaining member.

19. In an automatic switch mechanism the combination with a base plate, of a pivot extending therethrough, a switch lever upon one side of said plate and mounted to oscillate about said pivot, a switch member arranged upon the other side of said plate and mounted to oscillate about said pivot, means spaced from said pivot and connecting said lever and said member, a retaining member arranged tohold said lever in an operative position, yielding means conmeeting said switch lever and said retaining member and operative to move said switch lever from an inoperative into an operative position upon being released by said retaining member, means for actuating said retaining member, said last -named means comprising a releasing member movable either in unison with or independently of said retaining member, and movable means arranged to engage said releasing means to actuate the same.

11. In an automatic switch mechanism,

the combination with an electric switch.

member mounted to oscillate about a fixed axis, of a retaining member mounted to 0'scillate about a fixed axis and arranged to.

said retaining member, and a movable element' arranged to engage said releasing member to move said retaining member to release said switch member, 7

12. In an automatic switch mechanism, the combination of. a movable switch, means tending to move said switch to one position, retaining means holding the aforesaid means from actuating said switch, and releasing means tor and connected to said retaining means and movable both with said retaining means to release the same, and relatively to said retaining means for adjustrnent,

13. In an automatic switch mechanism, the combination of a pair of loo-axially pivoted members, one of which is free, and a movable switch controlled by the other of said members, said free member moving with said other member under force Salli-- cient to actuate said other member, and also moving relatively to said other member un der iorc-e suiiicient to overcome said friction.

14. In an automatie switch mechanism, the combination with switch, of mechanism for operating the same including" means tending to move said switch to one position, a. retaining member for holding said means from actuating said switch, a releasing member frictionally connected to retaining member and movable therewith to lflt-,l3 the aforesaid means, and

movable independently thereof into difierent adjusted positions relative thereto, and

the combination of a switch, yielding means tending to move said switch to one position, a,movable retaining member holding said yielding means from actuating said switch, a traveling element, a releasing member located in the path of movement of said traveling element to be tripped thereby, and a frictional connection between said releasing and retaining members to cause the same to move together to release the yielding means, and to permit the former to move independently of the latter for adjustment in the path of the traveling element.

16. In an automatic switch mechanism, the combination with an electric switch having electric contacts, of a member tending to separate said contacts, a movable retain-- ing member arranged to hold said first mentioned member from separating said contacts, releasing means arranged to actuate said retaining member to release said first mentioned member, said means comprising a member arrangel to move either in unison with said retaining member or independently thereof, and movable means arranged to engage said releasing member.

17. In'an automatic switch mechanism, the combination with a switch with electric contacts, of a member for separating said contacts, a retaining member arranged to hold said first mentioned member from separating said contacts, yielding means tending to move said first mentioned member into a position to separate said {'contacts upon being released-by said retaining member,'a releasing member, friction means bememe? tween said releasing and said retaining members to provide for the adjustment of the relative position of said releasing meniber with respect to said retaining member, and amovable element arranged to engage said releasing member to move said retaining member and release said first men. tioned member.

18. In an automatic switch mechanism, the combination with a fixed and a movable electric contact, of a member for moving said movable contact from. a closed circuit position to an open circuit position, a movable retaining member arranged to hold said first mentioned member in one;-position with said contact points closed, yielding means tending to move said first mentioned member to a second position to move said contacts to an open circuit position, a movable element, and means fi'ictionally engaging said retaining member and extending in the path of said movable element to trans mit motion from said movable element to said retaining member upon engagement of said movable element With said last mentioned means, and by which said last mentioned means may be set to different positions with respect to said retaining member and with respect to said movable element.

In witness whereof, we have hereunto set our hands this 31st day of October, A. D.

ELDRIDGE R. JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

FRANK B. MIDDLETON, Jr, DONALD G. VVOLFF.

, HENRY H. MURRAY. Witnesses FRANK B. MIDDLETON, Jr, Ceramics F. .Wmnaao. 

